Amongst the Ruins

After a routine dog hike I headed off to the Awbury Arboretum. 

 I have passed the sign for over 16 years but situated among a depressed section of

 Philadelphia I assumed it would be in poor condition. 

 But after my mother mailed me an article about

 the arboretum as a prospect for some photo/promotional work

and after a seeing a feature article on the arboretum in a local paper my curiosity was peeked. 

So down the bleak avenue of town I went
until I came to Washington Avenue and Chew

 - with signs of poverty and crime infested life strewn about.

But turn in the drive and I was transported back in time. 

The Cope Mansion - where Henry Cope first built his home in 1852 on 50 acres. 

As his family grew, so did the beautiful stone homes - each surrounded by high stone walls. 

It was an obsolute astonishment that this beautiful historical park could
 be  tucked away among the rubble of Philadelphia. 

It was like a chapter from C.S. Lewis' "Witch and the Wardrobe"

Odd trees

Even a Winnie the Pooh Tree

A magical day indeed!